DUSHANBE, September 22, 2014, Asia-Plus -- The University of Central Asia’s Institute for Public Policy and Administration (UCA IPPA) hosted a seminar on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Dushanbe on September 19.

At this event, IPPA Research Fellow Dr. Kanat Tilekeyev reportedly presented the results of IPPA’s research on MSMEs in Tajikistan, with a focus on recommendations to unlock their growth potential.

“The research covers 335 enterprises; 225 of them are located in cities and 100 others are located in rural areas,” Telikeyev said.

According to him, the research focused on the following factors: education of entrepreneurs; making decision of capital, loan and investment issues; and perception of a broader business environment.

The research and seminar have been conducted within the framework of the Small and Medium Enterprise Growth Project for Central Asia (SMEG), an initiative of USAID and the Aga Khan Foundation.

The seminar participants included government representatives, independent experts and representatives of donor organizations and business associations.

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are crucial for Central Asia’s economic growth but face challenges in four key areas. The SMEG project addresses each of these: investment; access to financing; business support services; and enabling environment.

Focusing on Tajikistan, the project will study these areas for ways to support and increase regional economic integration within Tajikistan and across Central Asia.

The project aims to add an estimated 900 jobs in Tajikistan and indirectly benefit more than 1,800 enterprises in the country through up- and downstream value-chain development. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN seeks) to demonstrate how combining these interventions can multiply the impact, resulting in more rapid and expanded growth.

IPPA was established in 2011 to strengthen public policy in Central Asia. It provides in-depth analysis on current and emerging policy issues facing the region, and improves the analytical capacity of governments and civil society to use evidence in decision-making processes through professional development.  The Institute has produced a series of peer-reviewed original research papers on social and economic issues, public administration and public policy as they relate to Central Asia and Afghanistan.

The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000, by the Presidents of Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan and His Highness the Aga Khan, to offer an internationally recognized standard of higher education in Central Asia and prepare graduates to contribute leadership, ideas and innovation to the economies and communities of the region.